Testing 1 2 3
by BBananas
Summary: Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she is determined to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.
1. Chapter 1

**This story takes place during Season 6, but late Spring: Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she is determined to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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Kate Beckett sat on the edge of the bathtub staring out into the empty bathroom. She didn't know how long she sat there looking at the counter without seeing anything. There were tears trickling down her face and she didn't know if they were tears of happiness or sadness. The familiar tone of an incoming text message snapped her out of the trance. She knew without looking that it was from _him_.

Rick Castle had been concerned about her for the better part of a week. They hadn't had a fight, but she was…off. She was moody and seemed to revert back to the old Kate and sit for long periods of silence. He didn't know what was going on and she wasn't talking. The writer in him allowed his mind to spiral out of control to every possible, horrible scenario. She had told him on Friday that she wanted to spend the weekend alone to get 'out of her funk' and he was being very good about giving her space, until now. It was Sunday morning and for the last few months they had been meeting her dad for brunch. He didn't know if he should go today or give her the space she asked for. He didn't want to just show up and upset her, so he sent her a short text asking if they were doing their usual Sunday brunch.

Kate knew that Rick would text her about brunch and she wasn't sure how to answer him. She wanted to see him because she missed him and right now all she wanted was to curl up with him in bed and not move for days. She texted him back to let him know that brunch was cancelled and that she would see him tomorrow at work. As much as she craved him, she couldn't face him with the plethora of emotions coursing through her body.

She hadn't felt like herself for about a week and she had her suspicions of what the cause was. She had stopped by the drug store on the way home from work on Friday and picked up three pregnancy tests. She didn't even look at them Friday, just took a bath and went to bed exhausted from the week. On Saturday, she had stared at the tests lying on her coffee table as she absently watched television all day. It was unusual for her to be that much of a couch potato and she _was_ anxious to take the tests, but they sat there all day taunting her. She eventually gave up and went to bed at an embarrassingly early hour.

By Sunday morning, she knew she was out of time. She opened all three tests and headed for the bathroom. She somehow found the ability to take all three, one after the other and sat them on the counter like a little row of soldiers. After 2 minutes, she saw that all three had the same result. She sat on the edge of her bathtub and tried to let the information sink in.

She was happy, she was. She was crying tears of joy. Then why at the same time was she feeling so devastated? The tears were a mix of joy and sorrow. She didn't know what this meant for her and Rick. Would he be upset or happy? She couldn't even begin to gauge what his reaction would be when her emotions were all over the place. She wanted a family with him; they had even discussed it with surprising ease. He had asked her to move in with him from the time they started dating and maybe now was the time to take that leap. She was desperate to be with him all the time, especially after taking those tests.

After downing a pint of ice cream in record time, she sat on her couch to try to sort through her feelings and her emotions. Rick Castle was her future, she knew that. She knew that she was going to marry him and live happily ever after. He wouldn't give up on them and she sure as hell wouldn't either. After the case with baby _Cosmo_, she knew that she wanted to have kids with Rick. She also knew that it would have to happen sooner rather than later since neither one was getting any younger. When she saw the results of the tests, she expected to be emotional, but this was bordering on ridiculous. Things had been going so well for them, they hadn't fought in ages and since coming back from DC, their relationship had been rejuvenated. Ugh, she needed to get out of her head!

After a strenuous 45 minute yoga session she took a scalding hot shower and headed to the kitchen in leggings and one of Rick's shirts that had 'accidentally' been left at her apartment. The knock on the door startled her so badly that she dropped the glass she was holding and it shattered on the floor.

"Shit…hang on," she yelled at the door.

She carefully stepped around the glass fragments and opened the door to a sullen looking Rick Castle.

Her heart instantly plummeted. She knew deep down that he couldn't stay away and she wasn't sure if she wanted him too. The war raged in her head whether to tell him now or wait for the news to penetrate her brain first. They had spent a lot of time over the last year and a half overcoming their communication problems and she decided at that moment that this was something she needed to tell him and tell him now.

He stood in the doorway just staring at her trying to read her emotions like he always did when she was quiet. After her inner monologue stopped yelling at her, she threw her arms around him and nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck. He hugged her back as tightly as he could and he was aware that she was shaking.

"Kate, what is going on? My mind is going through all these horrible scenarios and I just need to know if we're okay…if _you're_ okay." Rick's voice was husky with emotion as he voiced his concerns.

Kate tried in vain to tell him what was going on, but words were his forte, action was hers. She took his hand and pulled him into her apartment and he shut the door behind him. She intertwined their fingers and led him to her bathroom. Rick was confused and he noticed that her eyes were filled with unshed tears as she looked up at him in the bathroom doorway. As soon as she flicked on the light, he looked around and his eyes immediately landed on the three tests still lying on the counter.

Kate could hear him take an audible gasp and the tears threatened to spill once more. She was shaking so violently that he let go of her hand and pulled her into a crushing hug. They stood there holding each other for a minute or two until Kate had calmed down enough to take the last few steps to the counter.

Kate grabbed his hand again and pulled him to the counter to see the results of the tests. As he looked them over, she could see his shoulders sag and a small, hitched breath escaped his lips. He turned his head to see Kate standing with her shoulders hunched and tears flowing freely down her face. As soon as the sob left her body, he was instantly surrounding her. He hugged her more tightly than he ever had before and whispered words of love in her ear. She wrapped her arms around his torso and clawed at the back of his shirt. The words he murmured in her ear confirmed that he was having the same emotional reaction to the test results as she was. They would get through this together and they would still be in love and they would still get their happily ever after. Of this she was sure of.

They will have "little Castle babies" someday, just not today.

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**This is my first fanfic and I am understandably nervous! It is written as a one shot, but I definitely have more ideas to continue it, if the desire is there from readers. Please let me know what you think...constructive criticism is **_**ALWAYS**_** welcome! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she is determined to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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As Kate stood outside the morgue waiting for Lanie a week and a half later, she thought back over the last few weeks trying to figure out why she felt so unlike herself. She knew she wasn't pregnant, the three negative tests in her bathroom trashcan proved that. She knew she wasn't sick because physically she felt fine. She had even taken to the internet to look up her symptoms. She was surprised to see that she could either be dehydrated or dying from cancer; and everything in between. She had decided last night to talk to Lanie after she had to stifle tears while watching a dog food commercial.

"Hey Girl, what are you doing here? Do we have a case?" Lanie called out while walking towards Kate.

"No, I need to see you for personal reasons," Kate said quietly while giving a little shrug.

"Girl, please tell me Castle didn't do something stupid," Lanie replied while rolling her eyes and opening the doors to the morgue.

"Funny. No, Castle didn't do anything stupid…I just need your medical expertise."

Lanie squealed at an octave that Kate hadn't heard from someone over 6 years old, "Oh my God, are you pregnant?"

"Lanie just put your stuff down so I can talk to you. And no, I'm not pregnant."

Lanie detected a hint of sadness in Kate's voice and she instantly went on alert. She knew Kate had been _off_ for a couple of weeks but didn't read too much into it. She was now a little worried since Kate never sought medical advice even when she so clearly needed it.

Lanie dropped her bag, hopped onto a stool and clasped her hands together on her lap. "Okay, I'm settled. Start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

Kate slumped onto the stool next to Lanie and took a deep breath. "So…for the last couple of weeks I have been tired, moody and a little snappy with people. I thought I was pregnant so I took three tests on Sunday. They were all negative. I still haven't gotten out of this funk and I'm either dehydrated or dying of cancer."

Lanie noticed that Kate's eyes dropped when talking about the pregnancy tests, but didn't say anything. "Okay; so other than those symptoms, what else has been going on the last couple of weeks?" Lanie had her suspicions of what was wrong with Kate, but she needed a little more information.

"I haven't done much but work and start planning the wedding."

Lanie saw the sadness again and this time didn't let it pass. "Kate, you got a look on your face when you talked about the negative pregnancy tests and you just got the same look on your face when talking about wedding planning. What's really going on?"

Kate let out an audible sigh and decided to come clean with Lanie. "I was happy at first that the tests were negative, I mean we aren't married yet and believe it or not, I think of myself as a traditional type of girl. But as that sunk in, I was devastated. I want kids with Castle and when he saw the tests, I could tell that he was upset too. We haven't really talked about it, but I knew he was as disappointed as I was." She ran a hand through her hair and continued on. "As far as the wedding, I don't know Lanie. I want to marry Castle…that is definitely not the issue. It's just that every time I think about it, I realize that I'm not going to have my mom around and she won't help me get ready or pick out a dress or any of that. I mean, I know that I'm a big girl and shouldn't still _need_ my mom, but…I want to get married, I just don't know if I want the wedding. Does that make any sense?"

Lanie noticed Kate's breathing quicken during her confession and reached out and grabbed her hand to ground her. "Kate, let me take some blood and run some tests just to be sure, but I think I can diagnose you right now." Kate looked up at Lanie with watery eyes and Lanie knew that her friend was hurting. "Honey, in the last year you have gotten engaged, quit your job, gotten a new job, moved away from your friends and family, quit that job and came back home…not to mention some incredibly hard cases. Wanting your mom with you as you plan your wedding is nothing to be ashamed of and I will smack you if you think that way again." Lanie gave her a small smirk and continued with her advice. "You haven't had a vacation in at least a year and I think it's time to give yourself a break. You need to take some time off…go somewhere and relax with Writer Boy for a while. I also think you need to tell him about your issues with the wedding, although he probably already knows. He's been around you for 5 years and the man is not stupid."

Kate nodded and held out her arm to indicate to Lanie that she was ready for her blood to be drawn. As Lanie got to work, Kate thought that maybe Lanie was right. She had been working nonstop since at least before leaving for DC. She and Rick had taken a couple of weekends and gone to the Hamptons, but she needed more than a couple of days. She hated admitting she needed anything, especially time off; but this was different. She needed to get away and find her center again. Once Lanie withdrew the needle and placed a band aid on her arm, she hopped off the stool.

"Thanks Lanie, I'm sure I'm just a little overwhelmed and need to step away from wedding stuff. I'll let you know what I decide."

"No problem girl. I'll call you in a couple of hours once the test results are back. Let that man take you away Kate. I can always write you a doctor's excuse to force you into a vacation!"

"Not necessary Lanie…I'll talk to you later."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

As Kate made her way to the 12th, she realized that she actually felt a little bit better. She knew Lanie was right; she just didn't want to admit it. As she arrived on the Homicide floor, she saw that Captain Gates was in her office and Kate decided to talk to her now before she had time to change her mind.

Kate looked over at her desk and saw Castle sitting in his chair watching her with curiosity as she knocked on the Captain's door.

"Come in Detective Beckett, I've been expecting you," the Captain said through the closed door.

Kate opened the door and entered her office. "You've been expecting me? I'm…uh…ok." Gates took her glasses off and looked at Kate with a knowing expression.

Captain Gates let out a small sigh and began, "Detective, you have been a little, shall we say grumpy lately and I saw you nodding off at your desk yesterday. Your team has been tiptoeing around you for weeks and I was going to call you in here by the end of the day if you didn't come to me first. So…when are you due?"

"Due…what…Sir…I'm NOT pregnant!" Kate stammered. She sighed, "I don't know why I'm moody and so tired, but I was coming to see if I could take a few days off and get out of the city for a bit."

"Well since you haven't taken a vacation since I took over _and_ you have been coming in on your scheduled off days…you are officially on vacation beginning immediately. We'll see you next Monday. If you need more time than that, let me know; but I'm sure you want to save some days for the wedding and honeymoon." Kate thanked the captain and made her way to the door. "Oh and Beckett, make sure you take your writer with you," Gates said with a small smile.

Kate nodded at her captain and closed the door as she left her office. Castle was watching her intently as she made her way to her desk. He watched as she sat down at her desk and pulled out her phone. Kate sent a quick text to Lanie to let her know that she was going on vacation and she would see her on Monday. Lanie texted back to tell her to have fun and she would call if the blood work came up with anything. Kate then stood up, grabbed her coffee and made her way to the break room. Neither she nor Castle had said a word to each other, but he got up and followed her anyway. He was thoroughly confused and Kate had a small smirk on her face.

"Boys, mom and dad are going on vacation. We'll see you on Monday and don't throw any keggers while we're gone," Kate said as she met up with Ryan and Esposito in the doorway to the break room. They both had stunned expressions on their faces, but Castle's face was full of shock as his jaw dropped. Kate spun on her heel and grabbed Castle's hand and led him towards her desk.

"Let's go Castle, we need to go home and pack for our vacation," she said as she grabbed her bag from the bottom drawer. Castle still hadn't said a word as he grabbed their coffees from Kate's desk. Finally, a huge grin spread across his face.

"I'm going to need a little more information than that, but let's go!," he said as he grabbed her hand and led her to the elevator, deciding not to say anything about her use of the word _home_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she ****is determined**** to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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Rick's mind was on overdrive during the ride to the loft. He was trying to think of the perfect destination for their spur of the moment vacation. As he looked over at Kate, he noticed that she looked relaxed and genuinely happy for the first time in weeks. He knew that the negative pregnancy tests had upset her, but he also knew that there was more to her moodiness than that. He suspected that she was having trouble thinking about the wedding without thinking about her mom. A bride was supposed to have her mom around when she was getting married. He would have suggested that they elope if he didn't think she would shoot him.

After a few minutes of silence, Rick couldn't hold it in anymore. "Kate, while I am ecstatic that we are finally taking a real vacation, you want to fill in some major blanks for me?"

"Let's talk inside," Kate laughed as she pulled up to the loft and they headed inside.

As they stood in the elevator, Rick suddenly shouted out, "Belize!"

Kate whipped her head around and just stared at him. "I've never been to Belize, so it's not tainted by my ex-wives. We can go to Belize for our honeymoon," Rick stated excitedly.

"Come on, Rick. We need to talk about a few things," Kate said as she grabbed his hand and led him out of the elevator. She unlocked the door to the loft and led him to the couch. As they sat down beside each other, she took a deep breath and tried to explain what was going on with her. "Rick…for the last couple of weeks I haven't felt like myself. Obviously, I thought I was pregnant which is why I took those tests. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed to find out that I wasn't pregnant and I know you were too. I was still feeling off this morning so I met up with Lanie at the morgue. She took some blood to rule out anything bad, but she was the one who suggested a vacation. I haven't taken any real time off in months and I think I just need a break. I talked to Gates this morning, so we are on vacation until Monday. I can take more time than that, if I need it; but I think a few days away together is exactly what I need."

Rick sat next to Kate and watched her, studying her body language to see what she was feeling. She wasn't making eye contact with him and was playing with the rings on her necklace, so he knew that there was more to the story. He just needed to wait her out.

"There's something else going on that I haven't told you about." Kate looked over at him with tears in her eyes and Rick's face immediately dropped. "The wedding planning is getting to me. I just keep thinking about how my mom isn't here to help me with everything and then I think about how she won't be there when we have kids and then I start to spiral into this sadness and…" Rick reached over and pulled Kate into a hug and just rocked her for a moment as she tried to keep her tears in check.

"Kate, I had a feeling that this would be hard on you. We don't have to get married if it's going to be too upsetting for you. We can live together for the rest of our lives and have babies and all of it. And you're right, I was disappointed by the negative tests, but it will happen for us when it's supposed to. I'm in no rush…as long as we're together, _we'll_ be okay." Rick wanted so badly to marry Kate, but he wasn't willing to put her through pain for it.

"No…Rick…that's not what…ugh." She was trying her best to explain herself and her emotions, but as usual, Kate was having trouble putting it all out there into coherent sentences. I want to be married to you. I want to be your wife, I just don't know if I can go through a wedding right now…if ever." Kate sighed deeply unable to come up with a solution _her_ problem.

Kate relaxed in his arms as he rubbed his hands up and down her spine. "Kate, please don't shoot me for this…but what if we eloped?" He braced himself for either a verbal or physical lashing from Kate. When she didn't say anything, he pulled back from her a bit and continued. "I mean, you don't want to do the wedding and I've been through two already, so if you want to get married but not have the wedding, it just makes sense to…" Kate cut him off with a passionate kiss.

"Rick, I know you've had two weddings, but are you sure you'd be okay with just running off and getting married? I mean what about Alexis and Martha?" It sounded perfect to Kate, but this was _their_ wedding and she didn't want him to be disappointed.

"Kate. What I really want is to be your husband and you to be my wife. I'm not concerned with how we get there…just that we get there. My mother and Alexis will get over it, besides it's _our _life and _our_ wedding. I'm more worried about your dad and Lanie killing me." Kate chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Rick, my dad will be thrilled that he doesn't have to wear a suit. I'm sure he'll be a little hurt that he can't walk me down the aisle, but he'll understand. As for Lanie, we'll just have to suck it up and deal with her wrath. In the end, I think everyone will be so happy that we finally took the plunge that they'll forgive us for not having doing it the traditional way."

Rick studied her face for a moment to make sure that she being truthful and not just trying to placate him. "So, what do you say…should we run off to Belize and get married?"

Kate's eyes widened. She stared at him for a few moments before jumping up and running her hands through her hair. "Rick, I have to go."

Rick's face dropped immediately as he tried to figure out her sudden shift in emotions.

"No, no, Rick. I'm not leaving, leaving. I just have to go to my apartment and grab a few things for our trip. I was thinking of just going to the Hamptons for the week though. I mean, this is so last minute that finding a flight and a hotel might be a nightmare. We can talk about it when I get back. Most of my clothes are here, I just need to grab a few things." She walked back to him, grabbed his face and kissed him deeply before turning around and making her way back to the door. "Start packing Writer Boy, we have a wedding to get to."

Once the door was shut, Rick jumped up and ran into his office. He didn't have to pack much since he kept a lot of clothing in the Hamptons, so he had some time to kill. As soon as he sat down, he fired up his laptop and began to look through his contacts. After a few minutes he found exactly what he was looking for. Rick was starting to hatch a few surprises for Kate in his mind and hoped that she would be okay with them. He made several phone calls and began setting his plans into motion. He made his way into his bedroom and stopped suddenly. With a broad smile on his face, he realized that he and Kate were going on vacation, they were going to get married and she was going to be moving in (he assumed)…finally. If he were a teenage girl, he would have jumped up and down squealing on the spot.


	4. Chapter 4

**Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she ****is determined**** to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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Rick kept a close watch on the clock the following morning. They had to leave by 9:30 am to make it there on time. He made up an excuse of missing "long weekend Hamptons traffic" so that Kate wouldn't be suspicious. Rick had employed the help of several people, and favors, to ensure that his big surprise for Kate went off without a hitch. Everyone was more than happy to help him with his plan. He made one final stop in his office to grab a small box from the bottom drawer, tucked it into his jacket pocket and made his way to the door.

"Kate…we have to go if you want to stop for more coffee," he called out while grabbing their bags.

"Jeez Rick relax! I just want to grab your laptop and I'll be ready to go," she called out as she moved from the bedroom to the office.

"Nope." Rick said and Kate popped her head out of the office with a quizzical look. "This vacation is all about us and relaxing, I won't need it. Besides…I'm actually on schedule with deadlines for once."

Kate shrugged and made her way to him at the front door of the loft. She knew he was up to something, he was never this adamant about being punctual or meeting a deadline. She knew he was up late writing and she suspected that he wrote most of the night so that he wouldn't have to write for the weekend. Oh well, he had his phone if the urge to write struck him.

As they made their way to the elevator, she leaned into him just taking a moment to revel in the fact that they were actually going away together, alone and for more than two days. Rick turned his head and left a lingering kiss at her temple. She seemed so relaxed and he hoped that what he had in store for their morning wouldn't make her tense and grumpy again.

Out on the street Rick began to put their bags into the backseat of the rented SUV. Kate glanced over at him and cocked an eyebrow. "I wanted us to be comfortable for the ride and have room to bring back any shopping purchases," he said with a wink. Kate just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she climbed into the passenger seat. "You can drive after we make a quick stop so quit pouting." Rick said with a smile as he hopped in and leaned over to steal a quick kiss before pulling away from the curb.

"Wait. Quick Stop? Rick…what are you planning? You know I hate surprises." Kate leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath.

"Oh, my dear, dear detective…just trust me a little. Okay? It's nothing bad and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It won't take long and then we can begin our vacation." He snuck a glance at her as she rolled her eyes right on cue.

Kate heard her phone ping with a text message as they pulled to the back of a familiar looking building. She ignored it and looked at Rick. He just smiled at her and got out of the car. Ever the gentleman, he came around and opened her door. Kate leaned back again and crossed her arms and just stared at him.

"Come on Kaaaate," he whined. "This will just take a few minutes. Just go with it…we're on vacation." He wiggled his eyebrows and held out his hand for her.

"Castle, my gun is in my bag…don't make me use it," she replied as she grabbed his hand and exited the car.

As they entered the building and took a service elevator, she realized that they were at the courthouse. "Castle…"

Rick didn't say a word. He knew he was in trouble because she was calling him "Castle." He hoped she wouldn't shoot him or say no to his surprise. They stepped off the elevator and turned right. Kate stopped instantly and stared at the 3 people in front of her.

"Dad…Martha…Alexis…what," Kate stuttered and realization started to dawn on her. Rick was silent next to her as he tightened his grip on her hand. "Castle," Kate whispered.

"Happy surprise wedding Kate." Rick turned to her and pulled her into a hug. "Kate, I know you don't want a wedding; but I also know that you would never forgive yourself if our families weren't there to see us finally make it official. We don't have to do this if you really don't want to, but I think you do." He twisted a curl around his finger as he spoke softly in her ear.

She should have been angry. He planned this without even asking for her input. But Kate knew that he did it because she wouldn't have been able to tell him that this was exactly what she wanted…small and intimate. She lifted her head and kissed his jaw to say _thank you and I love you for doing this._

Rick took a deep steadying breath and led her toward their families. She had accepted the surprise without any resistance. He was on cloud nine and just hoped that she would be okay with everything else he had planned for the next four days.

"Hi dad," Kate said softly as she hugged him tightly.

"Hey there Katie, please don't shoot Rick," Jim replied as Kate chuckled.

"Well darling, we have to get you ready for the big day…follow us." Martha and Alexis each looped their arms through hers and led her to a small office.

Rick and Jim entered the Mayor's office and sat on the plush chairs. "Jim, are you really okay with this? I know you said on the phone that you were, but I just don't want to step on your _father of the bride_ moment," Rick nervously asked.

"Rick, my Katie is happier than I have ever seen her. I'm just happy that you got her to agree to this instead of running off to Vegas." Rick and Jim sat back and chatted while Martha and Alexis helped Kate transform into a bride across the hall.

"I'm not sure if Rick told you why we decided to get married this way, but I need to know if you guys are okay with this…especially you Alexis." Kate was nervous. She and Alexis hadn't exactly been close, but it felt like things had been slowly getting better between them. Kate was looking at the dress that Martha had pulled out of the garment bag and couldn't help but be awed. It was a beautiful one shoulder, white dress that should hit just above her knee. She reached out to confirm that is was made of exquisite silk. It was perfect.

"Kate, I know that we have had our ups and downs, but my dad is happy and that's all I have ever wanted. I am happy you guys are getting married…and I'm honored that you are letting me be a part of it." Tears began to fill Kate's eyes as Alexis walked to her and wrapped her into a warm hug.

"Enough of this sappiness," Martha exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Kate darling, shimmy into this little number and then you'll be all set. Your hair and makeup are gorgeous as always. If we keep Richard waiting for too long, he'll come looking for us."

The two women turned around as Kate stepped out of her Capri pants and long sleeve shirt and into the dress. It fit her like a glove and she couldn't remember the last time she felt so beautiful. "Okay, done…how do I look," Kate asked while smoothing the dress over her hips.

"Beautiful," Alexis said softly as she handed Kate a pair of nude pumps. As Kate put on the shoes, she noticed Alexis fidgeting with something in her hands. "I brought my favorite bracelet and thought you could use it as your _something borrowed_," Alexis said nervously.

Kate took the silver bracelet with scattered diamonds from the girls' outstretched hand. "Alexis…it's beautiful and I would love to wear it. Thank you." Kate was beginning to get teary eyed again and for once she just didn't care.

"Well dear; the dress is new, the bracelet is borrowed and your mother's ring is old. Your something blue is from your father." Martha reached into her purse and pulled out a small envelope.

_**Dear Katie,**_

**_This "something blue" is from your mother and me. As you know, the forget-me-not was your mom's favorite flower. She carried a bouquet of them on our wedding day and I was hoping you would do the same. She would love Rick and would be so proud of you._**

_**Now go get married and start working on some grandchildren for your old man.**_

_**I love you Katie.**_

_**Dad**_

The tears were flowing freely down Kate's cheeks as Martha handed her a small bouquet of the delicate blue flowers. Kate took a moment and silently thanked her mom for being there on her wedding day.

"Okay. Let's do this before I turn into a complete mess," Kate exclaimed as she gave Martha and Alexis each a quick hug before wiping away her tears and opening the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she is determined to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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Jim Beckett stood in the hallway of the courthouse anxiously waiting for his daughter to come out. His little girl was getting married and he couldn't help but miss his Joanna. He knew Kate had found her other half just like he had all those years ago. His only wish for his little girl was that she would have more time with Rick than he had with Joanna.

As the door to the small office opened, he took in a deep breath. Standing before him was his baby…all grown up. "Katie, you look beautiful." Jim reached for her and gave her a quick kiss on her temple.

"Thanks dad. You ready?" Kate was surprisingly calm and didn't feel the sadness that she expected at the absence of her mother. Martha and Alexis skirted around them and headed across the hall to the Mayor's office. Kate slipped her left arm into her father's right and they walked into the plush office.

Rick was standing next to Mayor Wheldon with the biggest smile Kate had ever seen. Her smile grew as she and her father took the few steps to stand with them. Jim took Kate's hand and put it into Rick's. "Take care of my little girl, son." Jim backed away and stood with Martha and Alexis off to the side as Rick nodded his agreement.

As Kate and Rick looked into each other's eyes, the Mayor began to speak. "Kate, this man before you has gone to great lengths to get the two of you here today. He enlisted the help of your loved ones and even managed to get me to waive the 24 hour waiting period for marriage licenses." Rick winked at Kate because he knew that she was wondering how he pulled that off. "Rick, this woman before you obviously loves you very much to have put up with you for the last 5 years." Rick turned to the Mayor and tried to glare at him, but his huge smile betrayed him. "Now, would you two like to do the traditional vows or do you want to wing it?" Mayor Wheldon finished his little speech and looked to Kate for guidance.

"We'll wing it." Rick was sure that Kate would be angry for putting her on the spot, but he wanted this to come from their hearts and besides…they never did things the traditional way. Kate gave him a smirk and a little nod which was his cue to continue.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, I love you. We have been through it all together, so I know that this is forever. I promise to love you, cherish you, honor you, and stand with you until the end of time...or until you finally shoot me; whichever comes last." Rick's voice was tight with emotion as he smiled at his little joke. They had finally made it to this day. He knew that they would be amazing together and despite all of the ups and downs of the last 5 years, he wouldn't change anything. It took all of those fights, injuries and other relationships to get them here today. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box that he had grabbed that morning. He took her engagement ring off her finger and slipped a thin titanium wedding band from the box into its place. After sliding her engagement ring back onto her finger, he lifted her hand and kissed the rings. He would let her discover on her own that he had both of their rings engraved with the word _Always._

"Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers, I love you more than I ever thought I could. You have brought the light and fun back into my life and I will spend the rest of my life doing the same for you. You waited for me with the patience of a saint and you will never know what that meant to me. I promise to love you with everything I have and I promise to try and refrain from shooting you." Kate was tired of trying to hold her emotions in check. The tears flowed as Rick handed her the box. She pulled the titanium ring from the box and slid it onto his left ring finger. She was vaguely aware of the Mayor talking as she took a moment to rotate the ring a few times and just reflect on the last 5 years. She had hoped that they would make it to this day and she wasn't disappointed.

Rick reached and out and gently grabbed her face. He wiped her tears with his thumbs and looked to the Mayor with a cocked eyebrow.

"Go ahead Ricky, kiss your wife." The Mayor chuckled as Rick's grin grew even wider.

Rick snaked his arms around Kate's waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They shared a passionate; albeit appropriate for their witnesses, kiss. With their foreheads pressed together, the Mayor pronounced them husband and wife. They heard clapping and cheers somewhere in the room, but their focus was on each other. Jim, Alexis, Martha and the Mayor slipped out of the room to give the couple a few moments of privacy.

Neither Kate nor Rick had any words. They were both elated and knew that words couldn't begin to convey what they were feeling. They shared several more kisses and longing looks before the knock on the door pulled them from their little bubble.

Hugs and congratulations were exchanged between everyone and before Kate knew it, Rick was leading her back to the small office across the hall. "Bob will be able to keep this out of the public record for a while and I figured the service elevator would allow us to sneak in and out. But you might not want to be seen outside the courthouse in a white dress. We'll have to come out to the press eventually, but for now this belongs to us and our family."

Kate had been curious about the covert operation of sneaking in the back door of the courthouse and wasn't surprised that Rick had thought of it. Kate leered at him as she stripped off the dress and put her other clothes back on. Rick placed the dress and shoes into the garment bag and laid it over his arm. After many lingering kisses, Kate was dressed again. They headed to the service elevator and rode it down to the street all the while looking at each other and stealing kisses. "Thank you for thinking of everything, Rick. Are you ready for our honeymoon?"

Rick gulped as he took in the sultry look on Kate's face. "_This_ is only part one of our honeymoon dear. I figured we could plan something a little more exotic and for at least two weeks, for part two of the honeymoon." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and then realized that she had gotten into the passenger seat. "I thought you were going to drive."

"Nah…I thought I'd let my husband drive me to our honeymoon destination." She looked at him and giggled. "But don't get used to it _dear_." She closed the door and looked down at her rings. She was married. She was Richard freakin Castle's wife. She wanted to jump up and down and spin in circles. She remembered her earlier text message and unlocked her phone as Rick got into the car. The text was from Lanie:

**Kate…come and see me for a minute before you leave. I have your test results. – L**

Rick reached for Kate's hand but saw that she was looking at her phone and biting her bottom lip. He tilted his head and raised a questioning eyebrow. Kate didn't say anything, just handed him her phone. He read the text message several times and couldn't help but get a sinking feeling.

"Kate, it's probably nothing. Lanie probably just wants some dirt on where were going and what we have planned. We'll stop by and give her basic information to satisfy her…at least for a while."

Kate swallowed hard. Lanie wouldn't text her if it was bad. She would come and see her in person or at least call. Right? "Okay, let's stop by the morgue and then head out. I'm ready to start part one of our honeymoon." She reached over and grabbed his hand as he pulled into mid morning traffic.


	6. Chapter 6

**Kate Beckett hasn't been herself lately and she ****is determined**** to find out why. The results of her investigation will change her and Rick's lives forever.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

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They had decided on the way to the morgue that they wouldn't tell Lanie or anyone else that they had gotten married. They weren't going to hide it, but planned to take everyone to The Old Haunt to announce their news once they returned to the city.

Rick parked the car and took Kate's hand. "Kate. It's fine. Nothing is wrong with you and we are going to get our happily ever after." He tried to sound upbeat and he hoped he was succeeding. He didn't think Lanie would just send a quick text if something was _really_ wrong with Kate. He kissed the back of her hand and exited the car. Kate got out as well and grabbed his hand as they entered the building.

Kate pushed the door to the morgue open and found Lanie sitting on an exam table playing with her phone. "Working hard as ever Dr. Parish?" Kate tried to sound light as she greeted her friend.

"Girl…I'm so glad you're here! I was hoping you weren't on a flight or something. Which reminds me…where are you two going?" She pointed between Rick and Kate with a questioning look.

Kate rolled her eyes, "We're going to the Hamptons okay. We didn't have time to plan anything huge. Now will you tell me what you found…I'm starting to freak out a little?" Kate was more than freaking out, she was terrified.

Lanie hopped off the exam table and went to her office to grab the test results. She knew Kate would be anxious about her text message, but she needed to do this in person and that was the only way to get her there.

She returned to the couple and looked over the results again for dramatic effect. "Well…the results were very interesting. Based on what I found, you're going to need to make some major lifestyle changes and eventually take some time off work." She could see Castle grip Kate's hand tighter and decided to put them out of their misery.

"Kate. Castle. In about 8 months you're going to have a mini Castle or mini Beckett!"

Rick smiled broadly while Kate's jaw dropped. Lanie knew what the next words out of her friend's mouth would be. "Lanie, that's not possible, I took three pregnancy tests and they were all negative." Kate was beyond confused. She took those tests a week and a half ago. She still hadn't gotten her period, but she chalked it up to stress.

"Kate. You are most definitely pregnant. The HCG levels are low so you aren't very far along. Your levels may have been too low last week to register on the home tests; besides, home pregnancy tests can give false negatives for a number of reasons. I picked up another home test for you to take and I'm going to take more blood and run the blood panel again because I know how you need your evidence." Lanie looked at her with a smug look on her face.

Rick hadn't said a word. He was looking from Kate to Lanie and back again. _Kate was pregnant. He was going to be a dad again._ He was ecstatic and just wanted to gather Kate in his arms and never let go. However, Kate was having none of it. She didn't believe Lanie and honestly he couldn't blame her. "Take the test Kate," he whispered to her.

Kate took the test and headed for the bathroom after Lanie took more blood. She wasn't pregnant. That had been decided a week ago. She refused to get her hopes up just to let herself be disappointed again. She took the test and laid it on the counter to wait the obligatory two minutes. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the beach and spending the next four days in the arms of her husband. Her husband! A smile grew across her face as she thought of their impromptu wedding. Her thoughts were broken by the timer going off on her phone. Kate took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Positive. There was a plus sign in a deep pink color. She _was_ pregnant. She instantly felt the tears trickling down her cheeks. Kate took a moment to let it sink in then wiped the tears from her face. She put the test in the box and headed back to the morgue.

As soon as Kate walked in, Castle knew. She was pregnant…they were going to have a baby! She tried to hide the smile on her face, but it was pointless…her eyes always gave her away. She pulled the test from the box and held it out for Rick to see. He glanced at the white stick with the pink plus sign and then back to Kate. He hauled her to his chest and lifted her off the ground. Kate threw her head back and laughed as Rick spun her in circles.

Lanie was content to stand back and give them a moment alone until she spotted a shiny new ring on Castle's left hand. "Richard Castle! What is that on your hand?" Lanie shouted as she stalked towards him.

"Busted," Kate laughed into his ear as he set her down on the ground.

"Lanie, don't freak out, but…Castle and I got married this morning. In fact, we were on our way to the courthouse when your text came through. I didn't look at it until after we finished." Kate prepared herself for Lanie's wrath as Rick tried to subtly move behind her for protection.

Lanie just squealed and wrapped Kate into a tight hug. She then reached for Rick, "Hiding behind your _wife_ already Writer boy?" She glared at him before laughing and pulling him into a bear hug. "I'm so happy for you guys! But…don't think this gets you off the hook for running off and getting hitched without me." Lanie forced them to tell her every detail of their wedding and she couldn't help but feel the love radiating off the two of them.

After another round of congratulations, Lanie handed Kate the print out of her blood test results and an evidence bag for the pregnancy test. She also handed her a business card. "This is Dr. Caldwell's card. I called her to consult on the test results, which is why it took me so long to get back to you. She was the top of her graduating class. We've been friends for years and she is the best OBGYN in the city. I figure that you are only a few weeks along so make an appointment with her in the next couple of weeks. If you have trouble getting in, just drop my name," Lanie told the couple with a wink and a smirk. She reached out and gave the couple one last hug before pushing them towards the door.

"Lanie…keep this quiet for now okay. Kate and I were planning to take everyone out next week to break the wedding news. Now we get two things to announce." Rick gave Lanie the look that said _you'll have to deal with Kate if they find out._

"Your secret is safe with me you guys. Now go!" Lanie pushed them out the door and smiled to herself. She was beyond happy that she was the one to tell Kate that she was pregnant. She knew Castle made her friend happy, but the smile would not leave Kate's face and Lanie had a feeling that it wouldn't be going anywhere for a very long time.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Rick and Kate had been sitting in the car outside the morgue for a couple of minutes when Kate reached out and grabbed his hand. "Wow. What a day and it's barely noon." She leaned over the center console and gave him a searing kiss. "Now dear husband of mine…your wife and baby are hungry. Let's hit up Remy's before heading to the Hamptons." Kate leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Rick watched as a smile spread across her face and he realized that he had a matching smile.

"As you wish," Rick said and pulled out of the parking lot.

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**A/N: This was fun to write and I have started writing a sequel simply because I think a pregnant Kate Beckett would be hilarious. I want to get most of it written before posting...so be patient with me. You have all been so supportive at my first attempt at fanfiction. Thanks for all the reviews and follows. There are a lot more fanfic ideas in my head so hopefully I can find a way to put them down on paper.**


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